Buttress Positioning in Surgical Stapling Apparatus

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing surgical instruments for circular anastomosis face challenges such as anastomotic leaks, tissue tears during stapler extraction, and bleeding, due to difficulties in positioning and securing buttress materials effectively within the staple cartridge and anvil.

Innovation Solution

A surgical apparatus comprising a staple cartridge, an anvil component, a knife member, and two concentrically aligned buttress components, with a fastening member that includes barbs or hook and loop fasteners to securely position the buttress components on the anvil and staple cartridge, ensuring effective reinforcement and sealing of the staple lines.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If buttress materials are used to prevent anastomotic leaks and tissue tears, then reliability of the anastomosis procedure is improved, but device complexity increases due to difficulties in positioning and securing materials

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of anastomosis procedureVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The buttress material is positioned within the hollow interior space of the anvil, utilizing the existing structural cavity. The anvil's hollow design allows the buttress material to be nested inside, eliminating the need for separate positioning mechanisms and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The anvil structure itself provides the positioning and securing function for the buttress material through its hollow interior space. The anvil's geometry naturally contains and positions the buttress material without requiring additional fastening components or complex securing mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Strength

If buttress materials are secured within the staple cartridge and anvil, then tissue reinforcement is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to positioning difficulties

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetissue reinforcementVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The buttress material is nested within the hollow interior space of the anvil, allowing it to be positioned and secured through the existing structural geometry rather than requiring separate positioning mechanisms. This simplifies the operator's task while maintaining effective tissue reinforcement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The anvil is pre-configured with a hollow interior space designed to accommodate the buttress material before the stapling procedure begins. This preliminary structural preparation eliminates the need for complex real-time positioning operations during the procedure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If a separate fastening member is used to secure the buttress component to the anvil, then reliability of positioning is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning reliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The positioning and securing functions are merged into the anvil's hollow interior space structure. The anvil's geometry simultaneously provides both the positioning cavity and the securing mechanism, eliminating the need for separate fastening members and reducing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The anvil's hollow interior space serves multiple functions: it positions the buttress material, secures it in place, and maintains it during the stapling procedure. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for additional dedicated components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2644128B1Surgical stapling apparatus including buttress attachment
Publication Date: 2020.05.13 COVIDIEN LP
  • EP2644128B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2644128B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP2644128B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

An apparatus for joining two hollow organ sections with an annular array of surgical staples, the apparatus comprising: a staple cartridge component including a plurality of surgical staples in an annular array; an anvil component including an anvil member defining a plurality of staple pockets for forming the surgical staples and a shaft extending distally from the anvil member, the anvil component movable relative to the staple cartridge component between spaced apart and approximated positions to adjustably clamp the organ sections between the staple cartridge and anvil components; a knife member concentrically arranged in the staple cartridge component, the knife member movable relative to the staple cartridge component; and a first buttress (900) component including a buttress member concentrically aligned with the anvil component and a rim (92) extending distally from the buttress member, the first buttress component enclosing the plurality of staple pockets defined in the anvil member. The apparatus may further include a second buttress component (110) concentrically aligned with the staple cartridge component.